Kipp Branch
Leave It On the Field
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The University of Georgia is going to name the playing field at Sanford Stadium after long time head coach and athletic director Vince Dooley.
A ceremony has been planned for Georgia’s 2019 opening game on Sept. 7 against Murray State to dedicate Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium.
“I was very pleased for the family and pleased for all the ballplayers who have been so loyal and for all the friends and supporters,” Dooley told The Associated Press.
The plan, announced Thursday by University of Georgia president Jere Morehead and athletic director Greg McGarity, must be approved by the university and the board of regents, which is expected later this month.
Morehead said Dooley’s impact on the university carried beyond athletics.
“Coach Dooley’s many contributions to this university can be seen across campus, from Georgia athletics, where he achieved unrivaled success, to the learning environment, where today many academic programs and initiatives bear his name,” Morehead said in a statement. “The university community will continue to benefit from his service and dedication for generations to come.”
Personally, this is great news for long time Georgia fans. Coach Dooley was and is Georgia football to me. I attended Vince Dooley football camps as a youth and had some of the best times of my life with friendships I still cherish to this day.
Coach Dooley’s brand of football, which was the power run game, solid defense, and exceptional special teams is the brand Kirby Smart brought back to the program when he was hired in 2016 and you know those results over the past couple of years.
Dooley went 201-77-10 in his 25 years as head coach of UGA. That included 6 SEC Titles and the 1980 National Championship.
Coach Dooley is one of the top 5 coaches in SEC History, and the greatest head coach in UGA football history.
Once Dooley arrived at UGA in 1964 he did two things that made him the legend he is in Athens and that was he owned the Florida and Georgia Tech series.
The Yellow Jackets still haven’t recovered from the dominating Dooley years, and Florida was beaten in Dooley fashion over the past two seasons under Kirby Smart to the point to where their head coach takes veiled shots at UGA in the press consistently nowadays.
I still have UF friends that suffer from the “Vince Dooley Effect” to this day and I have one friend that still deals with that trauma by taking shots at UGA fans on social just this past week. Vince “The Gator Slayer” Dooley was 17-7-1 against those Gators in Jacksonville.
Eventually Sanford Stadium is going to become Sanford-Dooley Stadium, but this is a great first step.
I’m going to get chills when Notre Dame runs out onto Dooley Field this upcoming September.
And yes, long time Gators, it has been 39 years and counting since the last National Championship, but the Vince Dooley effect still controls you.
Coach Dooley is now 86 years old, and is a treasured person in our great state. He will always be my first and most cherished memory of Georgia Football.
Vicious Jaguar
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Joshua (Josh) Allen is now a Jacksonville Jaguar.
The 2018 SEC Defensive Player of The year will now set up shop in the River City and wreak havoc on AFC South quarterbacks for the next decade.
Allen played his college football at the University of Kentucky and led Kentucky to its first 10-win season since 1977.
Here are Allen’s 2018 career highlights and awards to date:
2018 SEC Defensive Player of the Year
Unanimous 2018 First Team All American
Chuck Bednarik Award 2018
Lott Trophy 2018
Nagurski Trophy 2018
First Team All SEC 2018
Allen is proof that recruiting rankings and stars don’t mean anything, as one highly thought of recruiting service had Allen rated as a two-star prospect coming out of high school in New Jersey.
Jacksonville didn’t think he would there at 7. They thought he would go at 3 or 4 or 5. I absolutely love this pick. Their identity is that defense. The Jags needed an edge rusher, and Allen fell to them and they took him.
Thank you to the Oakland Raiders and New York Giants for making this happen.
Allen was a star in the best football conference in the land, where he registered 17 sacks, 51 total pressures, and 28 hurries in 2018.
He finished his career with 31.5 sacks at UK and is the all-time sack leader there. Allen declared for the NFL draft after his junior season.
Allen is listed at 6’5 and 260 pounds, and is very quick. He is equipped to be one of those special speed edge rushers that keep opposing offensive coordinators up at night.
When it comes to pass coverage, he can drop into coverage with ease and is fluid in the hips, and moves like a safety. That will be a huge plus for a Jaguar defense that took a step back in 2018. Even with the addition of Nick Foles at QB this organization’s identity is defense. Now, with the addition of Allen, the Jaguar pass rush may get back to the standard it set during the 2017 season.
Allen runs a 4.6 40 Yard dash and looks to be another Pro Bowl caliber player on a talented defense. He is a high character young man that will come in, roll up his sleeves and go to work immediately. He is a Tom Coughlin type of player that eventually will take over leadership in that locker room.
I view this selection as a culture builder in Jacksonville. Allen is a winner and a producer and talks with his shoulder pads.
As I was watching the first round unfold, I could not believe Allen didn’t go to Raiders at 4 or the Giants at 6. And when the Giants went QB at 6 I said wow Josh Allen is going to be a Jaguar.
They say the NFL is an offensive league now, but do you remember the 13-3 Super Bowl contest that just concluded? The Patriots shut down the high-powered Rams offense and held them to 3 points.
Josh Allen was the absolute best pick the Jaguars could have made. The Jaguars got the biggest steal in the first round.
Draft Grade: A+
Terror Town
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Let me start off by making this statement. Glynn Academy football has never been better than it is currently.
The program is riding high and is the elite football program in Region 2-AAAAAA. Why is it elite? Here is your answer Rocky Hidalgo.
Since Coach Rock arrived in 2014, Glynn has won 49 football games in five seasons. That averages out to almost 10 wins per season.
When you want to establish a program you have to make a statement in your community and the easiest way to make a statement is to beat your number one rival.
Prior to Hidalgo’s arrival at Glynn the Red Terrors had lost six of its last seven games to Brunswick High School and the Pirates had controlled the City Championship series for two decades. Hidalgo is 5-0 against Glynn Academy’s number one rival, and Glynn firmly controls the series.
Prior to 2014, Glynn Academy had not won a region football championship since 1972. In 2015, Hidalgo led the Red Terrors to the region title. The first in 43 years and a berth in the State Championship game. That had not happened in Glynn County since 1999 when BHS advanced to the title game.
Hidalgo has led Glynn Academy to 4 straight region championships. That is an amazing accomplishment and Glynn will be the favorite in 2019 to capture a fifth straight region title.
Coach Rock has turned Glynn into a state brand since 2014. In that timeframe the Red Terrors have won 12 state playoff games and made it into the third round in four of his five seasons.
Translation is Hidalgo has made Glynn very well respected around the state of Georgia, which is very hard when the power structure and population center is based in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
What is the recipe for Hidalgo’s success at Glynn?
- The man can motivate kids. He makes kids believe in him and his system by being consistent but demanding. The Glynn kids know he will go to bat for them and they respond and give him their best effort.
- Hidalgo can develop talent. He gets every ounce of talent out of his program, and his teams put the word team first and it shows on Friday nights.
- The man can find and develop coaches. Glynn has the best coaching staff around because Hidalgo can locate them and he lets them coach. Kind of like a CEO approach.
The great football coaches today have to be able to delegate and hold their assistants accountable and none in these parts are better at that than Hidalgo.
When you are very successful bigger programs come calling. To ensure against that systems have to be set up to keep Glynn County coaches in the county.
The County of Glynn needs to get on a level playing field when it comes to coaches supplements. Did you know that AAA program Pierce County and AAAAA Ware County have a higher football head coach supplement than both AAAAAA high schools in Glynn County? That is disgraceful.
We have great head coaches in Glynn County and we need to have incentives in place to keep them in place.
Back to Coach Hidalgo the big dogs are knocking on his door and I would hate to see him leave one day.
It’s time to lock down the greatest head football coach in Glynn Academy history, and a man who is a valuable asset to our community.
He has put Glynn Academy in the spotlight in the State of Georgia, not only because he wins football games, but more importantly because he develops young men.
The Missing Link?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It was a move that had been speculated for months.
The Jacksonville Jaguars landed their quarterback, Nick Foles, on the first day of the NFL free agency tampering period.
Foles signed a four-year, $88 million deal, including $50.2 million in guarantees. This comes one year after the team gave Bortles a three-year, $54 million extension. To make room for Foles’ contract, the Jaguars will cut Bortles and eat $16.5 million in dead money.
New Jaguar offensive coordinator, John DeFilippo, worked on the Eagles staff when Foles led the team to the Super Bowl win two years ago over New England.
It will be a reunion of sorts as DeFilippo already knows the strengths of his new quarterback’s game and the belief is that Foles can hit the ground running in Jacksonville.
The Jaguars were horrible on offense in 2018. Foles will be an instant upgrade, and Foles signing officially ends the Blake Bortles era in Jacksonville.
Bortles had a 24-29 record and tossed 103 touchdowns and threw 75 interceptions. He was an original third-overall pick by Jacksonville in 2014.
Kudos to Tom Coughlin and the Jags on the Foles signing. With this move, the Jaguars are telling their fan base that this team can win now, and now that the quarterback situation is settled the team can focus on the upcoming draft.
Foles was taken by Philadelphia in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft and played the first three years of his career with the franchise. He was traded to the then-St. Louis Rams prior to the 2015 season and spent the 2016 season with the Kansas City Chiefs. He would eventually sign a two-year contract that would return him to the Eagles in 2017.
Foles earned his place in Philly sports lore when he led the Eagles to a 41-33 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52 for their first title 1960.
Foles completed 28 of 43 passes for 373 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also caught a touchdown pass that changed the momentum of the game, and was named Super Bowl MVP.
He was loved in Philly by the loyal Eagles fans, but he needed an opportunity to lead his own team. Jacksonville came calling for his services.
Foles went 25-13 as a starting QB in Philly which happens to be the highest winning percentage for a QB in Eagles history. He is 30 years old and will bring leadership to a locker room in Jacksonville that can benefit from it at this moment in time.
Now that the Jaguars have Foles they need to get him some offensive line help, and some badly needed playmakers on offense. It would seem with the signing of a veteran QB that Jaguars may address QB in the 2020/2021 draft for Foles successor.
The Jags may bring a free agent receiving target to give Foles some help, or address that position in the upcoming draft.
Ok Jags fans, you have your quarterback now. You have a top five defense, and you are set up to win now. It’s time to get it done.
The Jaguars did not sit around with the Foles signing. This team is now a contender again. There will be doubters as well with this high profile move, but I ask this question in closing. How many NFL teams have a Super Bowl MVP Quarterback under center currently? I know the Jaguars do and that is a huge upgrade from where they have been.
The Stable
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The University of Georgia is known as “Running Back U”.
UGA fans have come to expect great things out of the running back position with the recent success of UGA greats like Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb, and Sony Michel. Gurley and Michel were the two feature backs in the recent Super Bowl for the Rams and Patriots.
The Bulldogs return D’Andre Swift, James Cook and Brian Herrien from the 2018 team. That is a combined 1,628 yards and 15 touchdowns coming back, with Swift accounting for 1,049 yards and 10 touchdowns alone.
Georgia will also welcome five-star 2018 recruit Zamir White back into the fold after he missed the 2018 season with an ACL tear. Rounding out the group is four-star 2019 recruit Kenny McIntosh.
Swift will be the next great UGA back to make a splash in the NFL. He has great vision, speed and can cut on a dime. Swift was not healthy for the first half of the 2018 season and it showed.
He will be the number one option in the running game for UGA this fall. Swift will be a Heisman contender in 2019. If he can stay healthy and get 15-20 touches per game then a 1,400-yard rushing season is not out of the question. Swift is a complete back right now with his combined running and receiving ability. He will be an NFL back playing in college in 2019.
Cook showed flashes of his talent as a true freshman in 2018. He is special in space and will probably be used more in the short passing game this fall.
An off-season in the strength and conditioning program will help him bulk up to carry more of a load in the rugged SEC. Look for UGA to line Cook up in the slot and expose opposing linebackers and safeties in the passing game.
Brian Herrien was UGA’s true bright spot on offense in the Sugar Bowl debacle against Texas. Herrien is steady and you know what he can do when he enters the football game.
His production will increase as carries increase. It feels like Herrien has waited his turn over the past couple of seasons with all the greatness UGA has had at RB and now it is his time to shine.
The wild card in all of this is Zamir White. White was the top HS running back in the nation in 2017, and tore his ACL in fall camp last season.
If he is 100% this fall then he could be really special. Have you ever watched his high school highlight tape? If you haven’t Google it, but have a napkin close by because you will be drooling if you are a Dawg fan.
If White bursts on the college football scene in 2019 then you can go ahead and pencil UGA into the College Football Playoff.
And the rich continue to get richer as UGA brought in Kenny McIntosh during the 2019 recruiting cycle. McIntosh is a big back who can run between the tackles.
Kirby Smart is the best recruiter in college football, and the talent being assembled in Athens, Georgia is mind-boggling.
UGA lost a 1,000-yard rusher in Holyfield, who declared early for the NFL draft, but they will not miss a beat at RB.
I’m predicting that this group will be better this year running behind the most talented offensive line in school history. Anyone ready for National Title run in the state of Georgia this fall?
Running Back U continues to produce! Hurry up August and get here.
Acuna Matata
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Ronald Acuna just turned 21 years of age this past December and is the current National League Rookie of the Year.
He is a five-tool player who looks to be the face of the Braves franchise and could be for the next decade or so.
Acuna missed all of April because of the business side of baseball and then a sprained knee that hampered him in June.
The young Venezuelan hit .293/.366/.552 over 111 games and 487 plate appearances, scoring 78 runs, driving in 64, and pounding out 26 doubles, 4 triples, and 26 home runs.
Did I already mention that Acuna missed roughly two months of the 2018 season? If not for that I believe this kid would have been named the National League MVP in 2018.
You probably can already tell by reading this article that I’m a huge Ronald Acuna fan. I think he is the most talented player to arrive in Atlanta since Andruw Jones. That is saying a lot.
The projected Braves lineup in 2018 looks like this:
LF: Ronald Acuna Jr. (R)
1B: Freddie Freeman (L)
3B: Josh Donaldson (R)
C: Brian McCann (L)
RF: Nick Markakis (L)
2B: Ozzie Albies (S)
CF: Ender Inciarte (L)
SS: Dansby Swanson (R)
Before the Braves brought back Brian McCann, it was looking like Acuna would move to the clean-up spot in the batting order, but now he is back at the leadoff spot where he can lead the 2019 Braves.
With Acuna, Freeman, Donaldson, McCann, and Albies this batting order has some pop in it. Then you have Tyler Flowers, Charlie Culberson, Pedro Florimon, and John Camargo providing depth that should keep Donaldson and McCann fresh throughout the season.
I think this can be a dangerous, run producing batting order that may allow some of the younger arms in the rotation to flourish.
Back to Ronald Acuna, this kid has superstar written all over him. Acuna moved to the leadoff spot on July 20th last year and he hit .322 with 19 homers and a 1.028 OPS over the last 68 games.
Without that line-up move the Braves do not win the NL East in 2018. Acuna was the Braves MVP in this writer’s opinion in 2018.
With Acuna, Donaldson and Freeman the Braves have three MVP caliber players in the everyday line-up. Acuna could possibly end up batting in the four-hole, but after the excitement you saw in 2018 why would you move him?
Right now, Ronald Acuna projects as the best player in the National League going into the 2019. If you don’t believe me look it up. Barring injury I’m predicting Ronald Acuna Jr. to be the 2019 National League MVP.
Excitement for Braves baseball is off the charts right now. If this rotation can hold up and a closer steps up this offense will lead the Braves back to the playoffs.
Who knows who the Braves can pick up at the trade deadline maybe a quality arm or two for a playoff run?
Ronald Acuna is the new face of the Atlanta Braves, and now the Braves must put the pieces together to ensure Acuna retires as a Brave in about 15-18 years.
Baseball is thriving again in Atlanta, Georgia. Ronald Acuna may be the face of Atlanta sports. The Falcons and Hawks are struggling at the moment.
Beast Of The East
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The teams of the NL East have been busy this off season trying to get better quickly.
The National League East hasn’t been decided by fewer than seven games since 2012 and the division race hasn’t come down to the season’s final weekend since 2008.
The Atlanta Braves won the division in 2018 by 8 games and pulled away from the Phillies down the stretch.
How did the NL East teams get better this off-season?
Let’s take a look:
Atlanta Braves: GM Alex Anthopoulos went out and signed Josh Donaldson and Brian McCann. The Braves also brought back Nick Markakis. They have the youngest talent in the division, but need a number 1 starter, and closer help.
They won 90 games in 2018. It may be tough to match that win total in 2019. I think the Braves haven’t done enough to address starting pitching concerns this off-season. Will that hurt them? Probably and will have to be addressed at the trade deadline.
NY Mets: New general manager Brodie Van Wagenen has come in making moves.
Van Wagenen already has traded for perennial All-Star second baseman Robinson Canó and elite closer Edwin Díaz.
He also brought fellow late-inning reliever Jeurys Familia back to New York. Wilson Ramos was signed for $19M to come in and catch. Great move by Mets. The Mets have the best starting pitching in the division. Don’t be shocked if the Mets win this division. I like the moves they are making.
Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies in their own words want to spend stupid money.
They signed Andrew McCutchen for three years and $50 million during the Winter Meetings and acquired shortstop Jean Segura from Seattle.
They traded for catcher JT Realmuto and think they will sign either Manny Machado or Bryce Harper. That could be scary in that hitter friendly ballpark in Philadelphia. The Phillies have been bold and aggressive during the winter and I think it will pay off this season.
Washington Nationals: The Nats brought in elite starter, Patrick Corbin, catchers Kurt Suzuki and Yan Gomes, and re-signed a big bat in Matt Adams.
The Nats need bullpen help and potentially an outfielder to replace Harper. I don’t think Washington did enough to offset the pending loss of Harper.
Miami Marlins: The Marlins at this point, only develop talent and trade it away. They are no immediate threat in the division. I don’t understand this organization. The Marlins can spot, draft, and develop talent as good as any club in baseball, but will not pay to keep it.
NL East Predictions:
- Phillies
- Braves
- Mets
- Nationals
- Marlins
Don’t be surprised if the NL East produces a Wild Card Team in 2019. This division is on the rise. I love the start of baseball season. Spring, warm weather, sand gnats, shorts, flip flops, and eventually the beach gear gets pulled out of the boxes.
Ronald Acuna Jr. is the best young player in baseball, and will win the NL MVP within the next three years.
A Plain Change?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Auburn started the 2018 season ranked in the top 10 and beat a ranked Washington team the opening weekend in Atlanta.
The Tigers went into a week 3 matchup with LSU and ended up being exposed on offense in a 22-21 loss.
Back to back losses to Mississippi State and a bad loss at home to rebuilding Tennessee started the rumblings on the plains and then another loss to UGA in Athens, and having 52 hung on them in the Iron Bowl has Malzahn’s future at Auburn being questioned by many around the SEC.
Malzahn’s overall record at Auburn now is 53-27 in six years. Outside of the miracle season of 2013 where Auburn went 12-2, won the SEC, and lost the National Title game to FSU, what have the Tigers done that is so special?
Yes, I know Auburn won the SEC West in 2017 and beat number one ranked Georgia and Alabama in a three week span that November. I get that, but this program turned around and lost to Georgia in the 2017 SEC Title game 28-7 and then lost to UCF in the Peach Bowl to finish 10-4 on that season.
Auburn is 41-25 over the past five seasons, the natives are getting restless in Auburn, Alabama. So basically, Auburn under Gus is a program that is going to lose 4 or 5 games a season.
That is not acceptable at Auburn and they are trying to stay in the same area code as rival Alabama. Alabama is winning 13-14 games a season now under Saban, while Auburn is an 8-5 type team.
Let’s take a look at reasons why Auburn is struggling right now:
Stubbornness: Gus always says the right things in the media and promises change, but nothing seems to change especially as it centers around play calling on offense.
This is Malzahn’s offense at Auburn and now that Chip Lindsey is gone the focus is squarely on Gus. That is all on Malzahn. The offense is his baby.
Jarret Stidham will have a successful pro career, but I don’t think Auburn knew how to use his skill set properly. The fan base turned on Stidham, but forgot that without Stidham Auburn doesn’t win the SEC West in 2017.
Running Back: How does a school that produced William Andrews, James Brooks, Bo Jackson, Brent Fullwood, Rudy Johnson, Carnell Williams, Ronnie Brown, and Kerryon Johnson, not have a big time running back? Auburn can’t run the football, and it’s because they don’t have a big time running back. This is squarely on Gus.
Player Development: If you look at five year recruiting ranking averages Auburn is in the top ten, but Auburn has lost, on average, 5 games per season in the same cycle. What is happening to all of that talent? Gus Malzahn is the head coach of Auburn University and the buck stops with him.
Auburn hung 63 on Purdue in the Music City Bowl and Gus was feeling really good about his play calling in that contest. Will that be enough to quiet down the critics on the plains?
If not for The Prayer at Jordan Hare against UGA, or the Kick Six against Alabama in 2013 would Gus still be the football coach at Auburn University?
Keep a close watch on this situation at Auburn. If Auburn struggles early in 2019 will Gus make it to October?
Auburn is a proud football program, but the Tigers have been losing to UGA and Alabama a lot lately. That will not cut it on The Plains.
Tiger fans are praying that incoming QB Bo Nix has the same impact that Jake Fromm has had at UGA. That may be what saves the Gus Bus at AU.
Foles Flying To Jacksonville?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As we embark on Super Bowl weekend, I think back to just one calendar year ago when the Jacksonville Jaguars got “Bradyed” just like the Kansas City Chiefs did two short weeks ago.
Everyone was talking about how close Jacksonville was to being an elite team and many, including this writer picked them to go to the Super Bowl this past season. Unlike Jason Bishop this writer owns up to his bogus predictions.
After that playoff run the Jaguars gave Blake Bortles a contract extension through 2020, and banked their future on continuity with Bortles, instead of making an upgrade at the QB position at the time.
That move was a disaster as the Jaguars finished in last place in the AFC South. It got so bad the Jaguars benched Bortles at the end of miserable 5-11 season. Now, it appears almost certain that the Jaguars and Bortles will part ways.
Where do the Jags go at the QB position in 2019? There are rumors that Jacksonville is in talks with Philadelphia to acquire Nick Foles.
The Eagles confirmed that Carson Wentz will be the starting QB once he returns from the back issues he suffered in 2018.
Where does that leave Nick Foles? Apparently as a back-up in Philly, unless the Eagles make a trade. Foles makes perfect sense for the Jaguars. Foles is an instant upgrade at the position for Jacksonville and with the pieces in place already on defense the Jags become a playoff contender again in 2019.
Bringing in Foles could allow the Jaguars to draft a future QB like Drew Lock in the first round and have him learn and develop under a seasoned veteran like Foles. With Foles the team could win now and also be a bridge to the future until the future is ready. That proposition is a win-win for Jacksonville moving forward.
If you watched the Eagles last season you know that Foles was the best performing QB on that roster. Yes, we all know Wentz is the future in Philly, but Foles just has an “it” factor when he is inserted into a football game.
He started five games down the stretch for the Eagles, got them into the playoffs, beat the Bears on the road, and gave the Saints fits in the divisional playoff game. FYI, in case you forgot, Foles was the MVP of Super Bowl LII, as the Eagles upset the Patriots to win Philadelphia’s first Super Bowl.
What would the Jags have to give up to land Foles? Many are speculating that Leonard Fournette could be part of a deal to land Foles. Fournette appears to be on shaky ground in Jacksonville.
Fournette had an injury plagued 2018 season and some of his sideline antics appear to make him expendable at this time. Time will tell on how it will play out. The Eagles need help at running back.
One thing is for sure, if the Jaguars want to be a playoff team in 2019, they need to seriously address the QB position. Yes, I’m stating the obvious, but the obvious has been the obvious for three seasons now. The Jacksonville Jaguars need a playoff quality quarterback.
Make a deal Jags and bring in Nick Foles and trade Fournette if you have to. You can find a quality running back in this year’s draft. The NFL is a QB driven league.
Super Running Back U
By: Kipp Branch
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
When the Patriots selected Sony Michel in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft you just knew he would come in and have a great year with the franchise of the century.
Michel along with Nick Chubb had great rookie seasons in the league which is no surprise as the both came from the University of Georgia or better known as Running Back U.
Now, you have a marquee matchup with Running Back U legends in Super Bowl LIII in Sony and Running Back U legend Todd Gurley or TG3 as superstars have their own tag line.
Other than Herschel, I have never seen a more talented back at UGA than Gurley. He has the size, speed, and vision that is makes him a generational running back.
TG3 is currently the best running back in the NFL, which makes him the best running back in football period.
TG3 just has a knack for scoring touchdowns. Gurley has been a major factor in the resurgence of the Los Angeles Rams as they make their first Super Bowl appearance in 18 years.
Sony Michel is a beloved player in UGA circles. The Rose Bowl performance against Oklahoma makes him an all-time great with just that game alone. Sony always had a knack for making big plays a key time in big games during his UGA career.
My wife has his #1 UGA jersey hanging in the closet and puts it on every Saturday for UGA games. Sony is not big, sneaky fast, but has great vision and just seems to always make someone miss and he just makes plays.
Now the two RBU legends face each other in the Super Bowl next week. TG3 had a huge 100-yard performance against a Dallas Cowboy run defense that looked like Swiss Cheese in the divisional series, which sent the Cowboy nation back into their 23-year annual hibernation.
That alone makes him a hero in my book. He didn’t play much due to being banged up in the NFC title games against the Saints, but he will be ready in the Super Bowl. Look for him and the high-powered Rams offense to have a good day.
Sony, in my opinion is the biggest reason why the Patriots are back this year. Sony has been a steady threat in the run game and teams can’t just focus on stopping Tom Brady they now have to stop a balanced offense. That makes New England ever more dangerous as the Chargers and Chiefs just found out. Sony ran wild against the Chargers and Chiefs with back to back 100-yard games.
Running Back U will be on full display in Super Bowl LIII with Gurley and Michel. Any high-profile high school running back looking for a place to get ready for the NFL, look no further than the University of Georgia. RBU puts backs in the league.
I don’t really care who wins Super Bowl LIII, so I will be pulling for Running Back U to have huge games. Wouldn’t it be great if UGA produced another Super Bowl MVP?
What college has produced more Super Bowl MVP’s than UGA? Gator and Auburn fans look that up and let me know.
